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Tag: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan, whose real name is Bryan Danielson, has retired from professional wrestling, he announced first via his Twitter account and then on Monday Night Raw, 8 February 2016.

We here at ClutterStuff actually recommended this several months ago. He has spent the better part of two years out with various injuries, some of which were serious. As a relatively recently married man (to WWE Diva Brie Bella), I would love to see Bryan be able to have a family and be healthy enough to enjoy them.

Daniel Bryan wrestled in several independent promotions before coming to the WWE in the first class of NXT. Despite being released after the debut of the Nexus (for being too violent?), he returned to WWE as a solo act. He went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship, the Tag Team Championships (with Kane as Team Hell No), the Intercontinental Championship, and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His last title reign was cut short by injury when he was forced to relinquish the title shortly after winning it.

Bryan spent the last several years as the most “over” Superstar in WWE in many years. He was much smaller than other wrestlers, but had a charisma and a love for the sport that made him the favorite of many fans.

Thank you, Bryan. You have been a bright spot in professional wrestling for several years. I hope that you love the next phase of your life as much as you have loved wrestling. And I hope that you make the people in the next phase of your life as happy as you have made us wrestling fans.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus (Kiss Me Arse Match)
It’s hard to know what WWE has planned for Dolph Ziggler. It almost feels like he is a perpetual mid-carder. It doesn’t look like he’ll be given a main event run at any time in the near future. Sheamus, on the other hand, might be getting a slow build back into the main event picture. WWE seems to prefer wrestlers of his stature in the main event.
That said, I know who I want to win, but I just really don’t know who is going to win. One thing I can be almost certain of: no one is kissing anyone’s arse.Winner: too close to call (but I hope it’s Ziggler)

Roman Reigns vs. Big Show (Last Man Standing Match)
I think the Big Show is on the verge of retirement. Why else would he be given the battle royal win at Wrestlemania? One last hurrah is the only excuse I can think of.
Roman Reigns needs a better push. The fans didn’t accept the first push. Don’t count him out of the main event picture, though. A win over Show in a last man standing match—especially if it results in Show’s retirement, which it just might—would help to give Reigns a little more credibility. Will it be enough to win over the cynical Chicago fans? Only if the match works.Winner: Roman Reigns

Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper (Chicago Street Fight)
I like Luke Harper’s potential, but he hasn’t really clicked. He was a perfect, creepy fit with the Wyatt Family. I just don’t get his character since the end of they disbanded. I also don’t get this whole feud. Ambrose is one of the most over Superstars in the company at the moment. The feud made a little sense when they were both pursuing the Intercontinental Championship, but now they seem to just be fighting because they don’t know who else either of them should fight.
Hopefully this will be the last match between these two. Ambrose should win, because losing won’t help anyone. I can envision a run-in finish, though, to screw Ambrose out of the win, setting up Ambrose’s next feud.Winner: Dean Ambrose (unless he gets attacked by someone else)

WWE Tag Team Champions Tyson Kidd & Cesaro vs. The New Day
It’s funny that both of these teams exist because WWE didn’t know what to do with their talent. None of these five guys has a workable gimmick. New Day sucks as a team, though as individuals they are talented. (I loved Consequences Creed when he was with TNA.)
I’m just not vested in either team. There doesn’t seem to be a story here. Bottom line: I really don’t care.Winner: Meh

Divas Champion Nikki Bella vs. Naomi
I miss Lita, Trish Stratus, Mickie James, Ivory, Jacqueline, and all those Divas who were actually wrestlers. Divas matches that don’t include A. J. Lee or Paige—the only two on the roster with that old spirit—seem like commercials for shows I don’t watch (like Total Divas).Winner: Smoke break

Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett
Daniel Bryan may not be able to perform. I don’t know how serious his complications are, but I hope he recovers well. That said, if this match does happen, I fully expect him to win. I pretty much expect Daniel Bryan to always win. When he loses, the fans riot.Winner: Daniel Bryan

United States Champion John Cena vs. Rusev (Russian Chain Match)
Cena works very hard. He loses a lot of matches, but god forbid when he wins, people say his opponent was buried. I get that some people aren’t interested in John Cena. I’m not particularly interested in him. I respect him, but just don’t care about his matches.
In this match, however, I just don’t see Rusev winning the U. S. title back.Winner: John Cena

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton (Cage Match, with the RKO Banned)
Orton deserves the win. I’ve never been sold on Seth Rollins. His “Authority” character has grown a bit stale. But WWE seems to really support him. He is athletic and strong, and could easily be at the top of the company for several years.
As much as I like Randy Orton, I bet the cage match will not end clean. Most likely either Rollins keeps the title through a disqualification or Orton gets beaten down by the Authority.Winner: Seth Rollins